I'll Never Make A Promise That I Can't Keep
by Original Max A
Summary: By episode 6.16 "Coda", Penelope and Derek are in an established canon relationship. This is my tale on how they got that way. It starts with 6.02 "JJ" and follows the episode canon.
1. Chapter 1

Penelope calmly applied the cold cream to her face to clean off her makeup as soon as she got home. Unless she was going out that night or expecting a guest, this was all part of her routine when she got home. She put her bags on her dresser, removed her makeup, braided her hair and slipped into her comfy pajamas. Occasionally she took a shower at night, if the case they had worked on was especially grimy. Like computer routines and protocol, this process calmed her. It let her know that she was home, she was safe and whatever ugliness she faced through the day was over for the time being.

_Comfort. Calm._ She thought as she started her first braid, _I can do this. I'm going to be okay. I'm_… She hit the edge of her bathroom sink…_so fucking angry._

Her hand throbbed, but for five seconds it helped to ease the face that her best friend had been taken away from her. She was mad at so many people. Strauss for letting this happen in the first place. Hotch for not fixing it. She was even mad at JJ for not telling her. Penelope didn't care about any laws she had to bend or break if it meant keeping her family together. Mostly she was mad at the people, the Powers That Be, The big-bad, pencil-pushing G-men that thought their wants were more important that keeping together a team that worked. Penelope had been on teams ranging from hacker groups to rock bands. She knew how hard it was to find the magic that was created by a functioning team. Her team loved each other, supported each other and for someone to break apart something so precious didn't make any sense to her.

Working through the pain, she finished her last braid and went into her room to slip into her comfy baby panda pajamas. She booted up her computer on her bed and logged into her cheezburger account. Hopefully pictures of cute animals with funny phrases would lighten her mood. She couldn't do anything about JJ anyway. It was over. She and the whole team would have to move on. A few dozen kittens later, Penelope realized it wasn't working. The cuteness only inspired a handful of half-hearted chuckles. She closed her computer and wandered restlessly for something to do, something to keep her mind off of her heartbreak.

Suddenly her phone rang, shocking her out of her sour mood. She dug through her black hole of a purse and managed to find her cell right before it went to voicemail. See, this is why she had a headset at work.

"Garcia, here," she said into the phone.

"I must have the wrong number," Morgan's voice said flirtatiously into her ear, "I was expecting the Empress of All Knowledge. Or the Oracle of Supreme Genius."

"Off the grid, I'm just Penelope, babe."

"You're not _just_ anything, Goddess, on or off the grid," Morgan replied.

Penelope smiled her first real smile since she found out about JJ.

"This is why I love you," she sighed, "So what's up?"

"You, currently. 2nd floor, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, beginning to get suspicious.

"And are you decent?"

She moved to her door, "Not on any day ends with y."

Morgan laughed. Penelope moved the phone away from her ear. Sure enough, she was right.

"Babyboy, why are you at my door?"

"You know why."

She rolled her eyes and looked through the peephole. There he was, in all of his milk chocolate glory.

"I'm fine," she said with exasperation, "You don't have take care of me."

"Tough, I'm on the job whether you like it or not," he replied, bringing her back to their time in Alaska when she needed him most.

"Is that your stalker, unsub impression?" she asked sarcastically, still hoping he'd go away despite the comfort he provided. This situation reminded her that families aren't forever, no matter how much love you put out there. Despite 6 years within the BAU, she still wasn't used to leaning on people and depending on others. She was at her best when she gave support, not when she received it.

"No. It's my _expression_ of a man who loves you and who is not going to let you face this by yourself."

"Derek, this is not a life or death situation. No one's dead, or dying or injured. I'm okay. I'll be back to work, bright and early, as perky as ever," she replied with false brightness.

"If you were really okay, you wouldn't be trying so hard to stop me from coming in. In more ways than one."

Penelope groaned, "Argh. I hate profilers."

"You're hurting right now, babygirl, we all are. Families take care of each other. Let me take care of you, please" he said sincerely, with warmth and love blanketing every word.

Penelope put her head on the door as Derek's words sank into her, breaking the dam of emotions that had built up since she got home. She hadn't cried since she walked through her front door, but as a few tears started to escape, she was scared that she'd never stop.

"Come on, woman," Morgan pleaded, "I brought Thai food and _Finding Nemo_."

Penelope laughed into the phone between her tears, "Derek Morgan, you don't play fair."

He smiled and closed the phone as she opened the door. He walked in and opened his arms up to her.

"All's fair in love and war."

She stepped up to him, "I would like a lot more love and little less war."

She wrapped herself in his arms and held on tight.

Derek stroked her hair as she clutched on to him, "As you wish, princess, as you wish."


	2. Chapter 2

When Penelope woke up the following morning, she took a minute to check in on herself emotionally. It was something she to tried to do every morning to mentally prepare herself for whatever she was going to have face that day. Last night, she was a frenzy of emotion, going from calm, to angry to tears in flash. Today she was much calmer. She blamed Derek for that. Derek held her, comforted her, was quiet when she needed quiet and talked when she started conversation. If it weren't for the awful circumstances, it would have been pleasant night.

She also blamed a small part of her improved mood on the green nail polish she was wearing. She had put it on after Derek left, when she found she still couldn't go to sleep. Penelope believed that all colors had different meanings and purposes. Sometimes, wearing a certain color not only affected your mood, but also attracted certain things, events, and people into your life. Other times, colors just made a girl feel pretty. Green was supposed promote healing and peace. That's what she needed to face her first day without JJ. She slipped on her green dress and topped in with a brown button-up cardigan. Taking one final look in the mirror at her outfit and pigtailed blonde ringlets, she decided she was ready. She grabbed her purse, hopped into Esther and started her day.

Penelope walked to her office, files and JJ's door nameplate in hand. It hit her again, as she walked by the empty office, but she was going be okay. She entered her lair and was greeted by two brown teddy bears with balloons attached to them. One balloon said "I'm Sorry" and the other said "Get Well Soon".

Penelope smiled and picked on the bears up.

"What's this?" she asked the open air.

"Hey." A familiar voice said from behind her.

Penelope turned and smiled at her boyfriend and his bright colored dress shirt. Today, it has a pattern of blue moths and starfish.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"Well," he started, stepping into her lair, "There isn't really a card for 'Sorry your friend was unjustly transferred against her will.' This the best I could think of."

Penelope sighed and looked at him. She took a moment to fall into love with him all over again. Sometimes Kevin was too sweet for words. She hugged him.

"Thank you," she said and gave him a sweet kiss.

"So how are you holding up?" he asked as he continued to hold her.

She smiled, "I'm okay. JJ's still in the city. It'll just take some getting used to."

Kevin nodded, "Yeah. I wish I had heard about this earlier. I would have taken you home."

"I was fine," she said and kissed him on the cheek, "A cry here or there, but I survived."

Kevin reached up and touched her cheek, "I can see that, but I hate to think of you crying all alone in your apartment."

Penelope moved her head back and forth, "I wasn't… alone."

"What do you mean?"

Penelope took a deep breath and looked at Kevin in the eye.

"Morgan was there."

Kevin's eyes widened.

"He was where?" he asked.

"At my apartment. Last night," Penelope admitted.

"What?"

"There's nothing for you to be jealous about. He was just being a friend," she said a calm voice that she had used to explain her and Morgan's relationship on numerous occasions. When it came to Morgan, Kevin was a bit like child. No matter how many times you told him that there was no monster (or Morgan) under her bed, she still checked, just to make him feel better.

"I know. I know," Kevin said, remembering the countless lectures, "But sometimes I wish you had less muscle bound, F.B.I. superhero friends."

She smiled at him, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a man-crush on him, sugarplum."

"What?"

"Whenever I talk about him, all you comment on are his eye-catching physical attributes. Something you want tell me?"

"Ah…I…uh," Kevin stuttered.

Penelope laughed, "You are such an easy mark."

She turned into her office and started booting up her babies.

"Still, Penny, I really wish you had come to me first," continued Kevin.

Penelope sighed, "Kevin, it's not a matter of me not coming to you first. When things happened within the team, the members of the team will know first. It's just the way it works."

"I understand, but it seems that the team always knows first. With everything."

Penelope rubbed her forehead. She didn't need this, especially not early in the morning.

"They're my family, sugar. We've talked about this," Penelope gestured to the bears still sitting in her chair, "I thought you understood."

Kevin huffed, "Believe me, I do."

Penelope narrowed her eyes at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Kevin closed the door. He pulled a chair from the corner and sat down. Penelope lifted the bears from her chair and placed them on her computer top. She sat down and faced Kevin.

Kevin put his hands together and looked at Penelope.

"Remember that talk I had with Rossi?" he asked.

"Yeah. You really should thank Morgan for talking me out of putting that virus on your computer and just giving you the silent treatment for a week," she commented.

Kevin sighed.

"I know that too," he replied.

"What?"

"After I had a talk with Rossi, Morgan had a talk with me," Kevin stated.

Penelope stared at Kevin, shocked that she didn't know this information. Two years ago, Rossi had come to her apartment in the middle of the night, demanding information about case as she was enjoying a shower with Kevin. Later, Kevin said he thought that Rossi was rude to invade her privacy afterhours and wanted to have a "man-to-man" talk with Rossi about it. Embarrassed and a little scared of losing her job, Penelope didn't want him to do that and threatened to put an unrecoverable virus on his computer if he did talked to Rossi. Kevin did it anyway.

Morgan had come to her office that day, right as Kevin was talking to Rossi. He seemed a little… hurt that she hadn't told him about Kevin earlier and got her to explain what happened with Rossi at her apartment. After Morgan first told her about what Kevin did, Penelope was livid. He had to physically hold her back from marching to Rossi's office and killing Kevin. Morgan told her, with something bordering on respect, that he would have done the same thing that Kevin was doing if he had known. Morgan agreed that Rossi was out of line, even if it was for a case. Morgan convinced her that Kevin still deserved to have all limbs attached, but she still had wanted to make Kevin beg for forgiveness and prove that he was trustworthy.

"What was this talk about?" she asked Kevin.

"The proper way to treat his babygirl, or at least that's how he put it," Kevin replied.

Penelope's emotions kept on flicking between shocked and angry since both of her men had kept this conversation from her. Mostly, however, she was confused. Why was Kevin telling this to her now?

"He explained to me what life was like in the B.A.U. and told me to be gentle because you had just been shot and have to deal with so much horror on your screens everyday," he continued, "He said that with everything you through, you deserved to be treated like a princess."

Penelope smiled slightly. _Sounds like Morgan. _

"He also did the classic, 'break her heart, I break your legs,' threat. It was a little scary, but it was nice to see how much he cared about you," Kevin finished.

Penelope shrugged, "It's nice to be cared about."

"But I think that's the problem," Kevin continued.

"Problem? What problem?" Penelope asked and then looked closer at Kevin's face and posture. She pushed her chair slightly.

"Kevin, are you breaking up with me?"

Kevin held his hands up, "Just let me finish."

"Oh my God, you are!" Penelope spun in her chair and put her hands on her desktop, not baring to look at Kevin at the moment.

Kevin got up and touched her shoulder, "Penny, please."

Penelope shrugged his shoulder off.

"Don't touch me," she sniffled out.

"Ok, ok," Kevin said and squatted down so that he was eye level with Penelope.

"Penelope, I realized, that with you, the team will always come first. Even when I was thinking about that job overseas, your first thought was about the B.A.U." Kevin stated.

"They're—"

Kevin cut her off, but gently, "Your family. I know. And I know how important they are to you. And even if they don't work here anymore," Kevin reached up and grabbed JJ's nameplate off of her desk. He held it up to her.

"They always come first. I can't compete with that. They are already six people in your heart. I don't know if there's any space left for me," he said.

Penelope finally turned to him, "There is, Kevin. I love you."

"I love you too, but I don't come first in your life. And don't you think I deserve that?"

Penelope looked at him, torn.

"Listen, you've told me about your team. Hotch has his son. His son comes first before the B.A.U., but before that, you told me you thought that's why his marriage was breaking up because he put his job before his wife. JJ has a husband now and a little boy who she broke the rules for when the F.B.I. was on lockdown. They both have someone that they love more than their jobs or the people within their jobs. But after three years, Penelope, I don't think that you love me like that," he said passionately.

Penelope wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that she did love him like JJ loved her husband, but it wasn't true. She loved him, yes, but he was right. They weren't forever.

"I'm sorry," she got out.

Kevin took her hands, "No, no, it's okay. You're amazing and I don't know how good relationship could be before you. You get my jokes, you make me feel like Don Juan. You're the best thing in my life."

"Then why are you breaking up with me again?"

"Cause I'm not the best thing in yours," he said calmly.

Penelope sighed.

"I still want to be there for you and support you when you need it," he said.

Penelope rolled her eyes, "This is the 'can we still be friends' portion of the speech?"

"Yes, but I mean it. I still love you and I probably always will, but I need to find someone who will love me back just as much. But, I do want to be your friend," he said.

Penelope rubbed the tears out of her eyes, trying not to smudge her makeup. First JJ, now this, it was shaping up to be one hell of a week.

"I'm going to need a minute."

"Take whatever time you need," he said and rose to his feet.

"Ow!" he squealed suddenly and started hopping around Penelope's office.

"Kevin! What is it?"

Kevin kept on jumping and rubbing his leg, "Oh! Ah! Charlie Horse."

Penelope giggled.

Kevin finally stood still and rubbed his leg.

"Ok. Better."

Penelope smiled, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Kevin looked up at her, "Are you okay?"

Penelope nodded her head, "I will be."

Kevin walked up and kissed her on her forehead, "Call me when you're ready."

Penelope nodded. Kevin smiled at her and then left her office.

Penelope took a deep breath and shook her head. She would deal with this later, right now she had a job to do. And her feelings for Kevin didn't come before the job.

She stopped and examined her thoughts. _Wow, maybe Kevin wasn't crazy after all. _

She refocused herself and got back to work.


	3. Chapter 3

This part of the story covers part of episode 6.04 "Compromising Positions". Being that this episode is very Penelope heavy, I think I going to have take about two chapters to cover what I wanted to do with it. Everything in the episode, is consistent with this story. I hope you like it.

-OMA

* * *

Penelope had received the call forty minutes ago. The team was about to go on its second case without JJ. She stood in the bathroom, putting on the finishing touches on her fuchsia eyeshadow. She had curled her hair and carefully applied her makeup. She specifically choose one of her favorite blouses that made her think of flowers and sunshine and her pink skirt that made her feel pretty, cute and strong all at once. If her plan went well, this would be one of the last times she would be wearing something so "Penelope" at the office. She wanted this version of Penelope to go out with a bang!

Despite people's thoughts to the contrary, Penelope knew that they way she dressed made her stand out and made people judge her. She had learned a long time ago that people were going to judge her no matter what she did so she decided why not take some risks and have some fun with fashion and her life. No one else was going to make her happy or make her decisions for her. She didn't have to follow the supposed fashion rules; she made up her own. That was the attitude that prompted her massive collection of skirts, dresses and multi-colored makeup; a similar attitude landed her on the F.B.I.'s ten most dangerous hackers list, but that's neither here nor there.

Penelope knew how to dress conservatively, she did so in first few days at the B.A.U., back when Morgan didn't know her name and called her "babygirl" just to get her attention. Penelope smiled at the memory. After a few weeks, Penelope started introducing her own style into the otherwise bland wardrobe of the F.B.I. A few people took notice. Morgan was one of them, adding to a growing list of nicknames when an outfit particularly inspired him. Hotch was the other one who noticed her progressively eccentric wardrobe, which he acknowledged with a smile and raised eyebrow. He didn't seem surprised though. The bright pink homemade stationary she had used for resume might have betrayed the outlandish personality she tried to hide her newly conservative business attire.

Penelope sighed. Hotch hadn't smiled like that in years, even before Haley died. She hoped that Jack brightened his day when he got home. Thinking of her boss, she looked into the mirror and focused.

"Sir, I think we are still reeling from the lost of JJ and the team needs at communications liaison. Strauss could get someone from the outside or Agent Harris could come back, but I know I can do this job and do it the way JJ would want. My job overlapped with JJ's the most and she coordinated your needs through me. Anything I don't know, I'll learn. Any change I need to make, I will," Penelope said to herself in the mirror. And then looked at her makeup and down her clothes. Her makeup, hair and clothes made her feel pretty, but she knew that the outside world wouldn't always see it that way. At best, the local people who tend to follow the rules wouldn't take her seriously; at worst, they would think she was a clown.

She took at breath and looked at the mirror again, "I am willing to tone down my wardrobe choices. I am willing to make that sacrifice, sir, if you give me a chance."

She nodded to herself. She was ready.

* * *

Penelope rolled through the front door with her go bags ready and made her way to Morgan's office. He looked up as she walked through the door.

"Hey, babygirl," he said.

"Hey," she said and looked at his desk, "Is that the case file?"

"Yeah," he replied. She reached for it. As soon as her hand touched the file, Morgan put his hand over hers. Penelope looked up at him.

"Not til I get some answers."

"Answers?" she asked a little too quickly, "What do you mean?"

Morgan just raised his eyebrows at her. They had done this dance plenty of times over the past three years ever since she got shot. Whenever something was slightly off with Penelope, Morgan was always the first to notice, despite her best efforts to cover it up. His "awareness" of her had created a few awkward moments when she and Kevin had had an argument… or sex the previous night.

Penelope huffed, "Fine. I want Hotch to take me on this case."

Morgan's eyes widened in concern, "Why?"

Her eyes went up to the ceiling as she searched for the words to explain.

"I don't want JJ's hard work to go to waste," she said finally.

"Baby, you know you have nothing to prove, right?" Morgan said, getting up from his desk, "You do more than enough for the team."

Penelope cocked her head to the side, "I know that. But I've been thinking about this. Each time some change has taken place within our family, someone had stepped up to make us secure and complete again. Hotch did it, you did it and now, it's my turn."

Morgan walked up to her and rubbed her arm, "Babygirl, you don't have to do this."

"I want to. We need a communications liaison and Hotch needs everyone else out in the field. That leaves me," Penelope stated with conviction.

Morgan looked at her and took a breath. His Babygirl was serious as a heart attack.

"You got my back on this, right?" she said, leaving no room for argument and looking at him expectantly.

Morgan picked up the file and handed it to her.

"Always, Babygirl, always," he said.

She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said as she rubbed the lipstick off and then left his office.

Morgan touched the cheek she had kissed with her fuchsia-colored lips. She hadn't kissed him like that in years. When she and Lynch got together and he has been promoted to Acting Unit Chief, their physical contact went from consistent to a rare hug every once in a long while. He missed it. He missed her. Something had changed, but he was going to have to wait until the case was finished to figure it out.

* * *

As the team continued to go over the case, Penelope set work sending emails and calling family members. The team had taking to her new look and responsibilities as well as could be expected. The person that seemed the most shocked was Emily. It took her about a full minute to get her jaw off the floor when she say Penelope in her conservative attire. While she had fun playing dress up or dress down as it were, Penelope had to get back to work. She had to prove to Hotch that she didn't just look the part, she could walk the walk as well. She had watched JJ contact families and law enforcement plenty of times and she wanted to make sure everything was ready and prepared when they landed. She was so focused she didn't notice Morgan take the seat across from her. He watched her for a minute before she saw him out the corner of her eye.

"Ah. Oh!" she said, finally noticing him, "Hey."

She turned her head without moving her hands from the keyboard.

"You know, everyone else is taking a nap," Morgan quietly announced.

"What?" she asked, looking over Morgan's head. Sure enough, everyone was either resting or reading or quietly looking out the window.

"So, I'm the only one still working?" she asked.

"This is all part of the work. Charging our batteries. You should try it," he stated.

She turned back to her computer.

"I will just as soon as one more family member gets back to me," she said.

Morgan reached over and grabbed one of her hands. Penelope turned to him, about to request for her hand back.

"Baby, you can't overwork yourself before we get started," he stated gently.

"I'm fine. I'm awake, I'm alive, ready to start the day," she said, widening her eyes to emphasize her point, messing with her contacts in the process.

"Ow," she muttered, blinking, trying to make the contact comfortable again. She blinked for about 30 seconds before she was able to refocus on Derek.

"Better?"

"Yeah."

Derek smiled at her and opened his arms, "Can you just relax for ten minutes to make your boy feel better?"

"But…" she started, but Morgan took both of her hands and pulled her to him.

"Ten minutes, babygirl," he stated convincingly. Penelope conceded and took the seat next to him. Derek reached his arm around her and had her rest her head on his chest. She breathed him in deep and started to relax.

"I'm doing good so far, right?" she asked almost timidly. Derek stroked her red locks and answered.

"You're doing great," he said.

She felt more than heard his words through the vibrations from his chest. There was something so comforting about being this close to someone you truly cared about. She looked up at him.

"Thank you," she said, "for everything."

He stared at her then, thinking about how right she felt in his arms and the unguarded vulnerability she was showing him. His heart went out to her, this amazing woman who was willing to go far above and beyond to try and bring some good in the world. A woman whose personal code made her do the right thing when no one else would step up. He stared at the former fuchsia-tinted lips, now a solid red color, that had kissed him earlier and seriously considered returning the favor. But this was not the time or place for that and now, they had a case to work on. So he bent her head, like he used to, and kissed her through her bangs.

"Happy to do it," he said and placed her head on him again, "Now get some rest."

"Okay," she said contently and softly closed her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: This takes place at the end of _Compromising Positions_ 6x04. While I would love to tackle the great M/G scene in that episode, I think the actors did a great job in expressing what wasn't said so I don't need to elaborate. Also, this is much shorter than I anticipated, but there was something about Garcia and Hotch's relationship that needed to be said. Lastly, tonight's episode, 6x19 _With Friends Like These_, sort of put a damper on my M/G dreams, but that's not my main peeve with the episode. It's just me or do you think Penelope would have been alot madder about those cupcakes? Anyway, that's neither here nor there, now... On with the fic...

Penelope loved Aaron. Always had, going all the way back to when they first met and his hair was longer, looking like he had just walked off the set of General Hospital. She learned in that first interview that Aaron Hotchner had strong, but not cocky voice and demeanor as well as a smile that lifted your mood solely by its presence. She thought she had found a kindred spirit in the man she hoped would become her boss. However, this job tended to kill bright spirits like the one she saw hidden underneath Aaron's dark suits and shades. In months after Gideon left, Penelope watched the complete transformation of Aaron, the protective, but occasionally playful older brother of the B.A.U. team, turn into Hotch, stoic and uncompromising Unit Chief. The metamorphosis was complete after Hailey was killed. By that time, the dark clothes that he wore actually suited him. Most people outside the B.A.U. family thought Hotch was just a hardass, but Penelope knew better. The whole team looked to Hotch for strength. He was the center that kept them together in the most dire of circumstances. In a job like their's, the people you worked with were the people you needed to have the most faith in. The team believed in Hotch and he wasn't about to let them down.

Being the empathic soul that she was, Penelope saw the toil all of that responsibility took on Hotch, especially after he lost Hailey. Penelope's heart broke for him. That's why every once in a while, she went out of her way to try to make him smile, to lift the burden of responsibility just a little bit. A joke, a batch of cookies, something to remind him that there was still light in the world and there was no shame in enjoying it.

Penelope thought back to her first interview with Hotch. When she had been "recruited" to the F.B.I., her superiors always told her to "tone it down". She tried, mostly because she didn't want to go to jail, but once she opened her mouth, her Freak Flag was out loud and proud. It took a special man and a special boss to truly appreciate Penelope Garcia and all she had to offer. Aaron Hotchner did and, like Penelope figured out a few moments ago as he left her office, still does. Hotch's word replayed in her head as she continued to scan documents.

"_I've seen you given everything to this case and to this team over the last two days," he had said, commending her efforts. _

Penelope laughed at that. Hotch should know by now that she doesn't know how to do anything else. If it's a case, a play or even babysitting little Hotch, she puts her all into everything she does. But even Penelope learned that there was some things even a goddess couldn't do, like be two people at once. She just wished she didn't have to learn that while lives were at stake.

"_But I let you down," she had insisted. _

_He replied, ever so calmly and in a tone that left almost no room for argument, "In no way what so ever."_

"_I kinda lost my marbles out there," she replied, still unconvinced. _

"_Garcia, when you applied for this job you gave me your resume on homemade pink stationary. I realized then that you were… unique. And I wouldn't want you to change that." _

As she had seen him walk away, she had to admit, a part of her would always love Aaron Hotcher and moments like the one that just passed, helped her believe that a part of him, loved her back.

* * *

"Hey, babygirl, you ready to go?" asked the savior of her sanity from the door about 15 minutes after Hotch left.

She turned and smiled at him.

"Not quite, my knight," she replied, smiling at her little rhyme, "but if you cop a squat, I'll be done in a jiff."

She turned back to the scanner, continuing to work. Morgan did as he was told and proceeded to be entertained by watching his baby work.

"So," he started after minute, "how are you doing?"

"Better," she said, still focusing on her work, "Helping bring a criminal to justice is always satisfying."

"And?"

Penelope rolled her eyes, "Aaannd…"

She sighed and turned to look to at him, about to say snarky quip or a sexy remark, but she stopped herself. Looking at his face and thinking about what they had just experienced, there was only one thing she could say to him, "Thank you."

He relaxed his expression. He wasn't fishing for appreciation, he had only wanted to get a handle on her state of mind.

"No thanks necessary, princess," he replied.

She put her materials down and stepped over to him.

"It is," she stated emphatically and took his hand, "Thank you… for being what I needed, when I needed it. I couldn't have done this without you."

Morgan took other hand. He lifted both of her hands to his lips and kissed them.

Looking her in the eye, he replied, pausing for emphasis so there would be no misunderstanding, "It's no more than what you've done for me a million times. Baby, I can't tell you how many times your voice has lead me through the darkness. How many times I fought just because I knew I'd see your smile on the other side. I owe you more than you could ever know. So believe when I say I don't deserve your thank you's. I'm just giving a Goddess what she's due."

Penelope's eyes start to fill with water as a slow smile played on her lips. She swung their clasped hands.

"Just when I think I couldn't love you more…" she said and walked into his personal space. She bent down, inadvertently giving him a nice view of her cleavage, and kissed his forehead. Morgan closed his eyes at the contact. Penelope stood back up, silently put her things away and grabbed her purse. She put her hand out to him.

"Take me home?" she asked.

Derek smiled, put his hand in hers and stood up. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the B.A.U. together.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey all, first of all, I want to thank everyone for their support thus far. I've gotten so much love from this fandom and you guys are so awesome. Second, a warning, this chapter get a little religious. Let me make it clear that I am not trying to make anyone uncomfortable or convert anyone, it's just an exploration into a character and event that I think are appropriate to understanding their psyche. And the church that I am describing is based off of African-American Baptist Churches, so the style of religious expression maybe unfamiliar to people. All in all, I hope you enjoy...

-OMA

* * *

_Sunday, August 16, 2009_

Since Penelope had been shot, Derek had been sporadically attending church. He sat in the pews, listening to the choir finish their songs. The choir members wore long blue robes with a golden trim. One thing Derek liked about this church; they had style. The choir was very interactive with the congregation, inciting them to clap, dance and sing along with the praise and worship songs. When he was a kid, praise and worship was his favorite part of service, mostly because he was in the children's choir. Even though a cop's schedule was unpredictable, Derek's father always made it a point to see his son sing for the Lord. Before his dad passed, church had been one of the places where he felt the most at peace. He had the type of strong, innocent faith that you can only find in a child. He prayed every day and attended church on Sunday without fuss or compliant because he needed God to keep his daddy safe.

When his father was killed, he felt God had betrayed him and then when Buford happened, he was certain that the God he had put so much faith in had unjustly abandoned him. Only when he came rushing to the hospital after spending hour in the church and hearing about Penelope's injuries and recovery, did he think that at least this time, God was on his side. God had finally come back to save someone he loved.

As Penelope eased into his thoughts, Derek refocused on the sermon that was about to be delivered. Dr. Thomas Walter, a minister with a warm smile, glasses and deep chocolate skin, walked to the podium in his long deep blue robe with a kente cloth stash around his neck.

"Good morning, Beloved," Pastor Walter said in a resonating baritone.

"Good morning," replied Derek and the 175 other members of the congregation, forming a choir of their own.

"I want to preach this morning as the Lord shall guide from The Book of Matthew, chapter 5: verse 9, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for the shall be called the children of God'. We live in a world, a society that seems to reward and even encourage conflict. Why as I walk down the street this very Sunday, beloved, I took notice of all the conflicts, big and small, that seem to rip us apart. Mother vs. child, husband vs. wife, friend vs. friend, in fact when taken as a whole, it seems as a species. we fight more than we take care of one another," stated Pastor Walter.

Conflict. Derek certainly had more than his fair share of conflict in his life, in his job, but he had come to think of it as part of human experience and sometimes, he knew, conflict was necessary.

"But despite all of this conflict, in the midst of all this conflict, God still blesses us with moments of peace, moments of joy. In fact church, I bet you think of the worst conflict in your life, there was still one moment, one second, one person that gave you joy. You better thank God for those moments of peace and solace that He gives us in our conflicts, in our trials and tribulations," Pastor Walter continued.

Derek nodded and raised his voice into the chorus of "Amen" that filled the church. No matter how his rocky relationship with God was at the moment, he still thanked Him for those moments each and every day. No matter what ugliness he had to face that day, one phone call to Penelope helped to fill a few minutes of his day beauty and laughter.

The pastor continued with a sermon about the adulterous woman who was brought before Jesus by the officials of her town to be stoned for her crime of adultery. While most tellings of the story focused on Jesus telling the officials, "Let he who has no sin, cast the first stone." Pastor Walter focused on the woman herself.

"Now imagine this woman, taken from her home, dragged through the streets and brought before a stranger for her judgment. A judgment that she expects to end in stoning and death. Now I don't know about you, but that sounds like some serious conflict. But in all this conflict, there was a peacemaker. In her pain, which was internal and external, Beloved, she was at the feet of a peacemaker. One who saw her heart and deemed her worthy of salvation, in spite her sins. One who gave her solace in all of her conflict," stated Pastor Walter.

_Solace in conflict… that is a blessing,_ Derek thought and continued to listen to the sermon.

* * *

_One month later_

"There's something I really want you to know, Garcia," Morgan uttered feeling time slip away from him. If this was his last act on this earth, he wanted Garcia to know just what she meant to him. If he died, she would be the one plagued with the memory of hearing his last words. He had to make sure they were worth remembering.

"Save it! Just get out!" Garcia replied urgently.

"No, no, no, I'm not quite there yet," Morgan replied, hoping that a short explanation would get her to listen.

"Morgan."

"Just listen to me," he pleaded, trying to get through her hard head. He knew she just wanted him to stay alive, but he was trying to get her to hear what he need to say before it was too late.

"Morgan, please," she begged, praying that he kept himself alive.

"You know what you are, Garcia..." Morgan started, but realized that his time was up. He had make a choice between staying in the ambulance and being 100% sure that it got to the clearing or saving his own life and being 75% sure. Morgan never did anything half way and he didn't want to risk the ambulance going off course and hurting innocents.

75% wasn't good enough. No one was going to get hurt today.

"MORGAN!" Garcia cried.

Garcia's cry pierced through his brain and right to his heart. Before he realized what he was doing, he grabbed the door and jumped out of the ambulance.

The ambulance exploded into a giant mushroom of fire.

"Derek?" Garcia asked, her voice trembling with fear. Unable to catch her breath, she remained silence. Hoping against hope for Derek's safety.

Derek looked at the fiery remains of the ambulance. Thinking about how stupid he had been a second ago. Without Garcia in his ear, he would have stayed in the ambulance. He jumped out, not to save his own life, but because he loved Penelope and he couldn't allow himself to cause her pain by witnessing his death. He had seen his father die in front of him. He wouldn't wish that memory on anyone. Especially her.

"Garcia, I'll tell you what you are to me," He said when he finally put his earpiece back on and caught a portion of his breath, "You're my God-given solace. Woman, you promise me one thing. Whatever happens, don't you ever stop talking to me."

"I can't right now cause I'm mad at you."

"I can wait," he said

* * *

_2 years later_

Morgan smiled at the memory as he called Garcia. He wasn't a poetic guy. He allowed his actions to speak for him, but in that moment, seconds after the ambulance exploded in front of him, words were all he had. Even though he was no longer looking death in the eye, standing on that field, looking at the fiery blaze, he still needed to tell Garcia was she meant to him. She had saved his life once again. He wanted her to understand how much he needed her. And appreciated her presence in his life.

And once again, she was providing that peace he needed by taking care of Ellie. While he was still distracted by his concern for the little girl's safety, he knew that there was no one that he trusted more. He knew Ellie was safe with Penelope and that she would do everything in her power to keep that little girl as comfortable and happy as possible.

The phone was picked up on the second ring.

"Derek," said an exciting and high-pitched voice.

"Ellie?"

"Are you on your way back?" she asked with a brightness that wasn't there when he had left her in Penelope's care.

"Sorry, sweetheart, it's gonna be a little while longer," he replied.

"Oh," she responded, all of the cheeriness gone in her voice. It made Derek feel like he had just kicked a puppy.

"A, so… where's Penelope?" he asked finally.

"The bathroom…Oh, she just got out. Loopy, phone for you," she shouted over the phone.

"Thanks, Pip," Derek heard Penelope say through the phone.

"How's it hanging, Hot Stuff?" she asked, keeping with the cheery theme of the phone call.

"Loopy?" he asked.

She sighed and Derek could almost feel her roll her eyes at him, "The thing happened at the mall…" she explained.

"A thing?"

"Best not go into the thing, but Ellie decided that I acted a little loopy. So Penelope. Peneloopy. Loopy," she explained further without actually explaining anything.

Derek laughed. The first time he laughed all day. In a case where an UNSUB was destroying families, it was amazing to hear someone doing something so normal.

"How is she?" he asked.

Penelope turned in her apartment, insuring that Ellie was still listening to headphones.

"Coping. She's having nightmares, Derek. But she knows she's safe. She's lucky to have you. Someone she can trust because I know how lonely she would have been before she came here," Penelope stated.

Derek let out a breath, "Me too. But you two are okay."

"Best pint-sized partner in crime, I've ever had."

"I'll have to tell Reid he's been replaced by a 9 year-old girl," he joked.

"Oh, you are cruel, Derek Morgan," she jokingly scolded, "And the transfer of Ellie's case is going well. I'm also working on a program to notify us if she is in the hospital, involved with police or any major changes happen in her case file."

Derek smiled, "You didn't have to do that, babygirl."

"You know that's not true," Penelope stated, "She's family-by-proxy and a scared, little girl at that. Anything I can do to help her feel safe and give you peace of mind, I will. Two birds, one stone, mon ami."

Derek took a deep sigh that carried his relief and gratitude over the phone, "How often do I tell you I love you?"

Penelope smiled, "Every day, it's implied."

"Screw implications, I'll be explicit," he replied.

"Oh, Derek," she flirted, "Not when there are children present."

Derek chuckled, "Silly girl."

He took moment and let the mood settle, "I love you, Penelope Garcia."

"I love you too," she said softly with water touching the edge of her eyes, "Now get some sleep so you can catch bad guys and come home to us."

"Yes, ma'am. Goodnight, sweetness."

"Goodnight, my prince,"

"Oh, and remind Ellie that she's not alone. Even in her dreams," he stated, trying to comfort the little girl from afar.

"Will do. Night."

"Night," replied Derek and hung up the phone. He was in the middle of a gruesome case where families were being murdered, but he knew there was nothing he could do until the UNSUB made his next move. But instead of scenarios that he couldn't prevent running through his mind and torturing him, he was able ease to sleep imagining Penelope and Ellie's misadventures in the mall leading to the new nickname 'Loopy'. God-given solace indeed.


End file.
